Canadiens Brace for a Stretch of Tough Games
For the Montreal Canadiens, the next few games aren’t just another set of matchups. They’re a measuring stick for a team still finding its rhythm, trying to balance talent, effort, and endurance. Sam Montembeault and Brendan Gallagher are looking at what’s ahead with eyes wide open, and for good reason: it’s not going to be easy.
The upcoming games will be an excellent test for the Canadiens.
“Good challenge, good test,” Gallagher said, and you can feel the weight behind it. When you’re facing the cream of the league, every mistake is magnified, every play matters. There’s no hiding. The tough stretches are when teams find out what they’re made of. It’s when the margin between a solid team and a great team becomes clear.
Gallagher and Montembeault both touched on the adjustments the Canadiens have had to make, particularly on special teams. The penalty kill has seen some tweaks recently, and the upcoming slate will be a real test of whether those changes hold up under pressure. “We’re going to have to be ready,” Gallagher said. It’s the kind of challenge that separates preparation from performance. You can have plans on paper, but it’s how you execute when the lights are bright and the stakes are higher than usual that counts.
The other aspect is that the Canadiens will be playing at home.
And there’s another layer: playing in front of the home crowd. “We’re playing in our gates on Thursday, so that’s going to be really fun, too,” Montembeault noted. There’s energy that comes with the fans in your corner, a chance to turn intensity into momentum. For the Canadiens, the home ice isn’t just a patch of familiar ice — it’s a place where effort meets accountability, where players can lift each other when things get tight.
The Canadiens know the stretch ahead will be as much about mental toughness as physical ability. Vegas is coming off a desperate push of its own; the league doesn’t hand out easy nights. But there’s a kind of thrill in that challenge, a chance to rise above the grind and prove that the team can meet the moment.
The next few games will show what kind of team the Canadiens are.
These next games will show what the Canadiens are capable of — not just in individual talent, but in cohesion, focus, and grit. They’ve got the tools. Now it’s about execution, heart, and a little bit of fun on the ice along the way.